Damper attachment for pianos



Feb. 12 1924. 1,483,104 D. MCILWRATH v DAMPER ATTACHMENT FOR PIANOSFiled Ap'nil 21. 1922 2 Sheets-Shes?.r l

Feb. y

1,483,104 D. MCILWRATH DAMPER ATTACHMENT FOR PIANOS Filed April 2l, 19222 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 12, 1924.

DAVID MCILWRATH, OF NEWCASTLE, INDIANA.

DAMPER ATTACHMENT FOR PIANOS.

`Application filed April 21, 1922. Serial No. 555,901.

To .CIU whom t 27mg/ concor/li lie it known that l, DAvinMoliiwnii'riifr, a citizen of the United States, residing :itQevfcastlc. iu the county olf Henry and State oi Indiana, have inventednew and useful linprovemcnts in Damper Attachments for Pianos, of whichthe following is a specification.

lhe object of this invention is to provide means in the actions ofgrand, upright, and playenpianos, whether hand, foot, or electricallyopi-irated. wl'lereby the tone-volume can be reduced from three toeither one, or two strings per unison, and to produce an attachment tothe piano action. oi' specially ifi-ranged group unites or dampers whichare og; ated by the regula-r foot-pedals in handplaying pianos or bylever or automatic equipment in playeiepianos. whe-ther foot orelectrically operated. This appliance reduces or subsides the volume ottone in desired secti/.nis ot the piano, as above de- Sfc ri bed.

A Yfurther object of this invention is to provi h= a device `for ltheabove purpose which can be applied to either grand or upright actions asnow used, and, by making the actions stationary will give the same ormore pleasing eii'ects and will eliminate the sliding or shflitingaction in grand pianos when soit or reduced volume is desired.

The object also is to prevent lost motion in upright and player actionscaused by the use oi the soft pedal as at present equipped and furtherobject is to prevent much oif the wear and frequent action-adjustmentnow necessary in upright and grand pianos under present methods ofconstruction, and one of my important objects is to produce the sweetdulcimer effects so.

much desired in the rendition of certain musical compositions.

l accomplish the above, and other objects which will hereinafter appear,by the mech anism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-Figure 1, is a view in vertical section ot the string and hammermechanism of a standard piano shown in part and with my inventionapplied' thereto and operated by a foot pedal mechanism, as illustratedin full lines and also showing the hand-lever operating mechanism indotted lines the view being substantially on the line 1-1 of Fig. 2. Fig. 2, is a view in rear elevation of the middle portions of the stringsof the piano showing the application of the mutes or dampers and theirsupporting and operating mechanism comprising the essential features ofmy invention. Fig. 3, is a section on the line 31% of Fig. 2 and Fig. 4is a like section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Like characters of reference indicate like parts throughout the severalviews of the drawings.

The treble strings 5 and base strings 6 are oi usual construction forpianos and are vibrated by being struck by a hammer 7, operated by lieylevers and the usual and suitable mechanism (not shown).

Supported upon and by a board 8 are standards 9 which support brackets10 and 11 to which bracket supports 3 are fastened and in the ends ofthese supports a rock-bar 12 is journaled. The dampers 13 are of usualconstruction. Mounted on the rockbar 12 is a mute-bar l-l which swingsin unison with the rocking movement oi' the bar 12. Mounted on themute-bar 14 is a series ci felt pads 15 which have tapering sides andare so proportioned and placed as to contact one or two strings,according to the desire of the builder, when the bar 12 is suitablyrocked, and by such contact mute the strings contacted.

Generally two strings are rendered imite by the contact of the pads 15with said strings, and a third one or a pair of strings not contactedand allowed to function, produce the dulcimer effect required for theintended rendition oi' certain musical classics written before thedevelopment of the modern piano and not possible of rendition on thelatter as now constructed, lwithout my attachment. It is entirelyoptional as to whether two strings are damped or only one is damped byeach pad 15.

A rod 16 is attached to an arm 17 extending from the rock-bar 12, and bya longitudinal movement imparted to the rod 16 the bar 12 is rocked.This movement of rod 16 may be by lever 18 iulcrumed at 19, upon therear end of which lever the rod 16 is attached and with the front endo'l which lever a toot-operated pedal 2O is connected. Movement of rod16 may he in'iparted through a hand-lever 21 shown in dotted lines inFig. 1.

The operation or' my invention is obvious from the above description,taken with the illustration of the drawing, and while I have here shownthe preferred form of my inveution, it is capable of variations, Sonieof which lieve been speciiczilhv inentioned ind I therefore do notdesire to be liniited to the precise forni shown, or any niore than isrequired by tlie appended claims; and having thus fullyv described lnyinvention what I claiin as new and nisli to secure by Letters Patent,is-

l. The combination with a group of treble strings of a piano and n groupot bass strings, all substantially in i connnon plane, of a rock-barcrossing both string groups, means for rocking tlie burr` :i imite-bnrlifted to nieve Witli the rocl-bnr und also crossing both string groups7and pads [ined to tbc. mute-bar, each oi said pads being" adapted toContact one or inore of said strings when the rock-bar is rocked in onedirection and to be disengaged therefrom when the rockbar is oppositelyvrocked,

2. The, combination, with the strings of n piano. of i roclvbzir, zimute-bar Swinging in unison with tbe rock-bar, tapering pads on themute, bnr placed to enter between the strings by the rocking ot theroclebnr and g5 DAVID Moll'VHiYl`I-l.

